1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to removable storage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to removable storage systems in which a bay assembly mates with a disk drive sled assembly that supports a disk drive and that allows insertion and removal thereof from the bay assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information
Disk arrays allow high data storage capacities at relatively low cost. Such arrays (configured as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), for example) typically include many interconnected magnetic disk drives. To allow the array to be expanded or to allow easy replacement of inoperative drives requires that drives be added or swapped, often without powering down the array. Such removable disk drives, whether disposed in a RAID enclosure or within a server, are often disposed within a drive rack assembly. The drive rack assembly typically includes a bay assembly that receives a disk drive housed in a removable and mating disk "sled" assembly. To populate the bay assembly with disk drives, the disk drive sled assembly is inserted within the bay assembly until the disk drive interface signal connector mates with and is fully seated within a corresponding connector disposed at the rear of the bay assembly.
However, conventional removable storage system disk sled assemblies are susceptible to damage from mishandling and are relatively costly to manufacture and to assemble. An improved disk sled assembly, therefore, would include fewer moving parts, be relatively robust and less susceptible to mishandling and should be inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble. Moreover, to avoid damaging the respective connectors of the disk drive and the bay assembly during insertion and removal of the sled assembly from the bay assembly, the disk drive sled assembly should be precisely guided within the bay assembly and some perceptible indicia should indicate when the disk drive connector is fully mated with and seated within the corresponding connector at the rear of the bay assembly. Additionally, such an improved sled assembly should be simple to use and suited to single-hand operation.